protests disrupt a hearing on the subject of drones and torture and the president's pick to head the cia. >>> and the giant comeback under way in one of the most majestic places on earth. restoring the redwood forest to its old glory. "nightly news" begins now. >>> from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams. >>> good evening. and it's a busy evening on both of our coasts tonight. on the west coast in southern california, a nerve-racking and disconcerting day after three murders, two more people wounded and the word from police that one of their own, be an ex police officer, a military veteran, is targeting police officers. as a result, law enforcement there on a hair-trigger, and the state has been on alert all day. right now as we look live, the search is focused on the big bear ski area, bear mountain, in southern california. >>> now, on the east coast, preparations are under way for a potentially history-making snowstorm. along the eastern seaboard on up to new england, it's happening the way the worst of the storms happen. two systems